


Littlest Things

by DeanCasXmas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 06:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeanCasXmas/pseuds/DeanCasXmas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the showdown with Crowley Castiel’s mojo wouldn’t come back. Dean takes care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Littlest Things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wanderamaranth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderamaranth/gifts).



> The prompt was “Dean tries an unexpected hobby. (Knitting/painting/sewing/tap dancing/coin collecting/whatever.) Castiel doesn't understand what hobbies even are, and less so why Dean feels the need to find one.” I took some liberties but kept the general idea. I hope you like it anyway. Merry Christmas!

It happened at the grocery store, of all places.

One moment Dean rambled about different kinds of Pop-Tarts. Next thing he knew, Cas was lying unconscious in the aisle between the pastries and cereals.

It took a while to explain to the old lady who passed by that his friend was fine, if a little tired. She was, however, persistent and kept calling Castiel Dean’s ‘husband’ which annoyed the hell out of Dean for no particular reason.

By the time they reached the house Castiel was already conscious, although paler than usual, drinking the glass of water Dean put in his hand.

For the first time since they’d moved in, Dean thought that Sam’s stupid idea to take a break and settle somewhere quiet wasn’t that stupid after all. They all needed time off, including the angel of the Lord, who was sitting on the couch with embarrassment for the moment of weakness written on his face.

“What the hell happened in there, Cas?” Dean grumbled at him, pacing about the cramped living room.

“I don’t know. I’m powerless.”

Dean glanced at Sam. It had been three weeks since Castiel’s showdown with Crowley. His powers had been gone ever since, the remains of it spent on fixing Kevin’s finger

“That sucks, man. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, Sam. I need to find someone who can help me. I can’t go on like this.” Castiel made an attempt to stand up but Dean’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Whoa. Easy there, Cas. Losing your mojo is one thing but fainting in the middle of a freakin’ grocery store? Besides, you’re still pale like a damn ghost.”

Castiel shot at him his ‘no shit’ glare that reminded of how menacing and stubborn the angel could sometimes be.

“If you have another suggestion, Dean, then please, by all means.”

“For starters, let’s get you something to eat.”

Castiel frowned. “Dean, you know I don’t require sustenance. I’m not human.”

“Of course you’re not. And the five o’clock shadow I see there is a fashion choice.”

Castiel brought up a hand to touch his face, surprised.

“Thought so,” Dean huffed. “I’ve noticed it his morning. You’re becoming a real boy again, Pinocchio.”

“I don’t understand…”

“It’s simple, Cas. You’ve spent the remains of the juice to show off before your ex-buddy. Now it doesn’t come back so deal with it.” He eyed Castiel’s facial expression and sighed.   
“Let’s go. I’ll fix you a sandwich.”

“I don’t like this,” Castiel muttered as he swallowed the first bite. “It is tasteless.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Gee, Cas. Thanks for that.”

The angel pushed away the plate with the sad looking sandwich. 

“I’m sorry, Dean. I am not used to this. My once craving for red meat belonged to Jimmy. With him gone from this vessel I don’t think I will like any kind of food.”

“That sucks because you have to eat, Cas. Otherwise you’ll keep fainting like the big girl you are.”

“Don’t push him, Dean,” Sam chimed in from where he stood in the doorway, watching his brother and the angel intently, as if trying to figure them out. “Cut the guy some slack. Maybe he needs to sleep.”

“Angels don’t…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean waived at him dismissively. “Sasquatch’s right, Cas. You need to get some sleep. Besides, it’s already late. You okay with taking the couch?”

Castiel signed with resignation and nodded.

It turned out the couch was one of the most uncomfortable things on Earth. It had lots of bumps and hollows and when the morning came he woke up with the worst back pain imaginable which once again proved he wasn’t getting his powers back any time soon.

A strange noise was coming from the kitchen and Castiel walked in its direction to see what he had never seen before.

The room was filled with the smell of cooking food and coffee. Morning light streamed through the opened blinds, falling on Dean. He stood behind the counter, already shaved and showered, stirring something in the frying pan with concentration on his face.

He looked up at the sound of Castiel’s footsteps. When their eyes met, Dean’s face turned pink for a second before he looked down.

“Morning,” he muttered.

“Good morning. Dean, what is this?”

“What do you think it is, Cas? It’s called breakfast. Surely you’ve seen humans making breakfast before,” Dean replied, harsher than it was necessary.

Castiel studied him, tilting his head to the side. 

“I’ve never seen you do this.”

“Well, get used to it. I might make a hobby out of it. Here.” He came from behind the counter and put a glass of orange juice on the kitchen table. “Sit. Breakfast will be ready soon.”

Still suspicious, Castiel sat behind the table and took a careful sip of his drink. To his surprise, it wasn’t half bad. The word ‘refreshing’ came to his mind.

“Do you want coffee? I made some toasts as well.”

“Dean, I don’t …”

“Yes, you do, Cas. Enough with the attitude.” He put the toasts, some jam and peanut butter in front of Castiel and went to divide the scrambled eggs and bacon into three portions.

“So, how did you sleep? Feel any better?”

Castiel shrugged. “I didn’t like the sofa. It is bumpy. My back hurts. It had never hurt. It’s irritating.”

“Uh, sorry ‘bout that. We’re gonna have to get you a proper bed or a mattress, at least.”

Castiel looked up at Dean and wanted to say that it was unnecessary, that his condition wasn’t permanent and as soon as he had his powers back he would be out of the Winchesters’ hair, but he couldn’t. Looking at Dean, all spirited and enthusiastic even after all the things he’d been through, Castiel simply didn’t have the guts.

When no objection came Dean smiled and joined him at the table, digging into his food and prompting the angel to follow his example.

Castiel took his fork and scooped some of the eggs.

“Well?” Dean asked carefully when Castiel chewed and swallowed.

“It’s good.” Castiel replied with surprise in his voice. “I’ve never ate anything like this before.”

Dean smiled. “Wait till you try the pancakes.”

When Sam walked in on Dean showing Cas how to put jam and peanut butter on a toast, he froze in place. 

“What’s going on in here?”

“And good morning to you, too, sunshine,” Dean greeted him, taking a large bite of his toast. “Your breakfast’s on the counter. Don’t wait till it gets cold.”

“Who made all this?” Sam asked, still eyeing the two at the table.

“You don’t think Cas did this, do you? Dude doesn’t even know what a frying pan is.”

“Dean, in fact I…”

“Oh, come on, Cas. Shut up and eat your bacon.”

Castiel frowned. “I don’t want to eat it. It is chewy.”

“Fine,” Dean grumbled. “Give it to me, you ingrate.” He picked all the bacon from Cas’ plate and put it on his.

“Dean, you were cooking?!” Sam asked, scandalized.

“Yeah, so what? What’s this with everybody being surprised that I can cook? I am a man of many talents.”

Sam shook his head. “Nothing, it’s just I haven’t seen you cook since… ever.”

Dean shrugged, face turning pink again. 

“It is high time I started then. It’s not like we have many things to do in here. All thanks to you, Sammy.”

“Hey! I wanted us all to have rest. Looks like even Cas can use some.”

Dean put his hands up in defense. “I don’t say that was a bad idea. But there are only so many times that I can fix the Impala. Figured I’d pick up another hobby. Besides, uh, I thought Cas might enjoy a home cooked meal once in a while. So that, you know, he doesn’t faint and embarrass us again or somethin’. That’s pretty much it,” he finished quietly, staring intently down at the bacon he’d just stolen.

Sam studied his brother for a long time. “That is so nice of you, Dean.” He sounded proud, like a parent whose retarded child did something right.

“Yeah well, that’s enough of good things for today,” Dean grumbled, putting away his fork and standing from behind the table. “I cooked, you two do the dishes. I’ll need to get some fresh air.” With these words he grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed for the door, not looking at his brother or the angel on the way out.

***

Castiel found him sitting on the porch an hour later with a half empty bottle beside him. It looked like Dean wasn’t in the mood for alcohol after all.

Without saying a word, Castiel sat down next to him and for a while stared in the distance at nothing in particular.

“Sam is right, Dean,” he finally said. “This was very nice of you. Nobody has ever done anything like this for me. Daphne did, but she did it for Emanuel, not for me.”

“I’m sorry, Cas,” Dean suddenly said, finally turning to look at the angel. “I’m sorry for everything that happened to you. I’m sorry I cannot fix things and sorry that you have to be stuck with us. I know you hate it.”

Castiel looked at him with a deep frown on his face, as if Dean was the biggest enigma in the world.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Dean. Nothing of this is your fault. What I’ve become was my choice. It is not your fault that you’ve taught me about free will. Those were my mistakes and I know that being powerless is a punishment for the things I did.” He turned back towards the horizon, watching the clouds swimming on the sky. 

“But if I had to do all those horrible things to get to this point, to get here…” He put his hand on Dean’s shoulder, right where years ago the angry handprint had been. 

Dean shifted but didn’t move away. He continued staring at Castiel until the angel looked him in the eyes. “I would do all of that again.”

“Cas…”

It was hard to tell who moved first, but the next moment their lips touched, and Dean opened his mouth to let Castiel in, moving slowly, as if afraid it was just another dream. But Cas was there, warm and alive and breathing, and for the moment it was all that mattered. For a while they just kissed, exploring each other from a new side. 

Finally Dean moved away, still keeping close, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“How about we take this little party upstairs and I’ll show you something else you’ve never tried before?”

Castiel smiled in response. “I guess we don’t have to buy that extra bed after all.”

Dean chuckled. 

“Dammit Cas. You’re a quick learner.”


End file.
